Zuma says South Africa's free higher education to be done in a fiscally sustainable manner

Reuters Staff

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JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa’s government plan to offer free higher education for students from poor and working class households will be implemented in a “fiscally sustainable manner”, President Jacob Zuma said on Saturday.

President of South Africa Jacob Zuma attends the 54th National Conference of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa December 16, 2017. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Following a recommendation by a commission on higher education funding, Zuma said the government will increase subsidies to universities to 1 percent of gross domestic product over the next five years from nearly 0.7 percent at present.

Reporting by Alexander Winning and Nqobile Dludla; Writing by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo; Editing by James Macharia